Posted on 05/14/2019 6:16:11 AM PDT by Red Badger
Feeling Sexy might indict Hillary pic.twitter.com/vumxPQWCJh
— John H Durham (@John_H_Durham) May 14, 2019
Attorney General William Barr has appointed a U.S. attorney to examine the origins of the Russia investigation and determine if intelligence collection efforts targeting the Trump campaign were “lawful and appropriate,” a person familiar with the situation told Fox News on Monday evening.
John Durham, the U.S. attorney in Connecticut, will conduct the inquiry, the source said. The move comes as the Trump administration has pushed for answers on why federal authorities conducted the surveillance — as well as whether Democrats were the ones who improperly colluded with foreign actors.
Two sources told Fox News earlier today that Barr was “serious” and had assigned DOJ personnel to the probe. Durham is known as a “hard-charging, bulldog” prosecutor, Fox News is told.
Sources familiar with matter say the focus of the probe includes the pre-transition period — prior to Nov. 7, 2016 – – including the use and initiation of informants, as well as potential Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) abuses.
Mr. Durham’s probe will focus on whether the Justice Department lawfully collected intelligence on Trump campaign associates, according to both the New York Times and Associated Press, each citing sources familiar with the matter.
It is not clear what investigative powers Mr. Durham will have or whether Mr. Barr will authorize a team or budget. Special counsel Robert Mueller had a squad of roughly 20 people to conduct his investigation.
Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec did not immediately return a request for comment. Thomas Carson, a spokesman for Mr. Durham, declined to comment.
President Trump has long demanded the Justice Department look into whether the FBI spied on his campaign at the behest of the Obama administration. His calls have increased since Mr. Mueller concluded there was no evidence that the president or members of his campaign colluded with Russia.
Mr. Durham’s probe is the third known investigation into FBI and Justice Department decisions surrounding the 2016 election. Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz is evaluating the Justice Department’s wiretaps on former campaign associate Carter Page. And John Huber, the U.S. attorney in Utah, is also reviewing a surveillance warrant obtained by the FBI to spy on Mr. Page.
Mr. Horowitz’s findings are expected to be released this month or next while the progress of Mr. Huber’s probe has remained shrouded in mystery.
In addition, Senate Judiciary Chairman Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, has also pledged an aggressive committee investigation into the FBI and Justice Department’s actions in 2016. He said the probe will target how the department was “so in the tank for [Hillary] Clinton and hated Trump’s guts.”
The Durham probe is not a surprise as Mr. Barr signaled earlier this month that he had “people in the department” helping him examine intelligence actions related to the Trump campaign.
Mr. Durham, who was sworn in as U.S. attorney on February 22, has worked at the Justice Department since 1982 and has plenty of experience conducting high-level special investigations.
At this time in GHW Bush's presidency, he was a national hero, riding high on his swift victory in Iraq. Everyone thought he was unbeatable. Timing the indictments and declassifications properly could pay off big. But the risk is losing, having wasted a 4 year term.
Sessions promised a leak investigation long ago. All the rest of it?...it appears that Barr and Durham are just getting started.
Add to that, how many indictments has that "long ago" leak investigation produced?
It was good that Connolly got nailed. However, Mueller skated.
Just one of many AG efforts I can point to my friend. So far, in not even three months Barr has been quite effective and essentially flawless in performance of his duties.
Will the left be obstructing justice by saying anything against the investigation?
“Politically, how is the Trump DOJ going to indict criminal Democrats for FISA abuses if the judge presiding over the case hasn’t even sanctioned the perps?”
Sanctions are an inadequate. It’s way beyond sanctions. Inside DOJ, the word is they’ve already concluded three of the four FISA applications are illegal. They continue to review the first against Carter Page.
Now James Baker is already doing a Mae culpa for “mistakes.”
The entirety of SpyGate is already teetering and nothing major released to the public. DOJ IG report said to be devastating. That’s only the kickoff.
Joe DiGenova, the former US Attorney for D.C. Is foreshadowing all of it.
Mea Culpa, good heavens spellcheck is crazy.
Good.
I hope this guy is true to his reputation and will seriously do an investigation to find those responsible.
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